The Mediterranean diet has been shown to have numerous health benefits for adults, but a recent meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials has found that it can also improve cardiometabolic health among kids and teens. This is important as prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) needs to start early in life, with evidence linking atherosclerotic plaque buildup and cardiovascular risk factors in childhood to subsequent cardiovascular disease later in life.
The meta-analysis included nine randomized clinical trials with a total of 577 participants between the ages of 3-18 years. Nearly 60% of the participants were female, and the mean study duration was 17 weeks. The trials randomized participants to either Mediterranean diet interventions or a control group receiving usual care or a low-fat diet.
The results of the meta-analysis showed that participants in the Mediterranean diet intervention group had improvements in systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol compared to the control group. The improvements in lipid profiles and blood pressure were significant, but the impact on insulin resistance and glucose metabolism was less pronounced.
The findings of this study suggest that clinicians should consider incorporating dietary counseling and Mediterranean diet-based interventions into their practice, especially for young patients at risk of cardiometabolic issues. Given the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents, interventions to improve cardiometabolic health in this population are urgently needed.
Limitations
It is important to note the limitations of the meta-analysis, including the risk-of-bias concerns in some of the trials and the fact that not all interventions focused solely on the Mediterranean diet. Additionally, publication bias may have overestimated associations, and subgroup analyses were not possible due to the scarcity of studies.
The Mediterranean diet has been shown to have significant benefits for improving cardiometabolic health in kids and teens. While more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of this diet on youth, the findings of this meta-analysis provide valuable insights for clinicians working with young patients at risk of cardiovascular issues.
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